Bells are back

Every year, my family prepares a hand bell concert and plays in my parent's front yard the Monday before Christmas.

We've just started practicing for the upcoming season. I think this will be the 6th or maybe 7th year.

It is very time consuming. Practicing takes so much time, especially in the last few weeks before Christmas, when everything is already so busy. We spend a ridiculous amount of brainpower trying to juggle schedules and find times to practice with so many busy people.

I won't lie. I have mixed feelings about bells. To me, at times it has come to symbolize in so many ways what our modern, hectic, anything-but-peaceful holidays are, and more than once I've caught myself wondering if we're missing the whole point.

And then we have the concert.

Hot chocolate and muffins are set out and waiting for our arriving family, friends, and neighbors, who are bundled up and ready to settle into lawn chairs. Everyone chats and visits until we begin.

The music is beautiful. The coordinated movements of the polished bells, glowing in the dim light, is like watching a fire flicker in and out. Some songs float sweetly and peacefully, and others are cheerful and brassy, but all are a celebration of the season.

After we play, I am always content. I'm so happy to see everyone. Mixed in with old friends and faithful family are new faces, or sometimes the faces of neighbors whose names I don't know but I see without fail when we play every year. Everyone is happy, and I feel peace.

It's then that I wonder if I'm mistaken--if in those times when I question, maybe I'm the one missing the whole point.

Autumn Arizona style

Fall has finally come to Arizona. Now, in Arizona, when we say fall is here, it means that all the grocery stores are selling pumpkins, it starts to get dark a little earlier, and the temperatures are finally suitable for outdoor activities other than swimming during daylight hours.

I have been in a perpetually good mood since Saturday, when a gentle breeze blew in temperatures in the 70's. Autumn happens to be my favorite season.

So what did I do? First I took pictures of Rylan playing with pumpkins, of course. Please excuse the mashed carrots still on his face. I've had these puppies for about a week in anticipation of the arrival of Autumn. When I bought them, it was still in the 100's. I think it was my pure and unwavering faith that brought Autumn this year.

My pure and unwavering faith will also keep these temperatures here, even though both Trevlove and Weather Central tell me I'm wrong. Those pessimists assert that this is just a cold front blown in by a hurricane in Baja (only an Arizonan would call 70's a cold front).

In the meantime, Rylan and I are thoroughly enjoying the cold front. We donned our shorts and t-shirts, took off our shoes and played in the mild sun while a refreshing breeze tickled our hair. It's nice to introduce my son to the great outdoors at it's best.

The overwhelmed whiteboard

This is my whiteboard:

It currently sits in the kitchen, where I spend a large portion of my time. Soon, though, it will relocate to the office wall, where it will hang safely out of Rylan's reach. Lately he really enjoys pulling it down and rubbing the quotes off with his fat little sliding belly.

On my whiteboard, I collect quotes that strike home with me, or things that I've been thinking about. It's my effort to keep things of importance "always before my face". When I find a beautiful statement of truth, something that uplifts me and edifies me, it goes on the whiteboard.

My whiteboard has been a little overwhelmed the last few days.

You see, last weekend my church had a semi-annual general conference. Twice a year, we hold a two day conference in which the leaders of our church, messengers called of God to testify of Christ, speak to us. They give us counsel specific to our time and our circumstances, teaching us how to draw closer to God and be more like Him.

It was wonderful. I was uplifted and edified. There were so many beautiful statements of truth taught. I was reminded again why I am here and what I need to be doing.

The text of the talks given were posted on the internet two days ago, and I've been reading them and dissecting them a little more. My whiteboard simply isn't big enough, so today my blog is going to be an extension of my whiteboard.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught us that receiving revelation for our calling and in our personal lives “requires serious mental effort on our part…. Revelation is not a matter of pushing buttons, but of pushing ourselves"

"Without personal revelation, we cannot succeed. If we heed personal revelation, we cannot fail. This will happen as we allow ourselves to be still enough and quiet enough to listen to the voice of the Spirit."

--Julie Beck

He didn’t know everything, but he knew enough. He knew God loved him. That priceless piece of spiritual knowledge was sufficient for his doubt to be replaced with faith.

Faith is not only a feeling; it is a decision

--Neil Andersen

Creating and being compassionate are two objectives that contribute to our Heavenly Father’s perfect happiness. Creating and being compassionate are two activities that we as His spirit children can and should emulate.

We develop ourselves and others when we take unorganized matter into our hands and mold it into something of beauty

Isn’t it remarkable to think that your very spirits are fashioned by an endlessly creative and eternally compassionate God? Think about it—your spirit body is a masterpiece, created with a beauty, function, and capacity beyond imagination.

Creation means bringing into existence something that did not exist before—colorful gardens, harmonious homes, family memories, flowing laughter

As you take the normal opportunities of your daily life and create something of beauty and helpfulness, you improve not only the world around you but also the world within you.

--Deiter F. Uchtdorf

These are excerpts from just a few of the wonderful talks. To read more go here.

A new little Ray!!

No, no, no, I'm not pregnant.

But on Tuesday, little Katelyn Jane was born only seven months after Rylan-- he has a new cousin! Due to a complication of pregnancy, Caroline had a planned C-section, and we decided to enjoy the benefits of knowing when the baby would come. Trevor and I spent the night there to keep an eye on their kids, Lizzy, Scott, and Brian. The schedule was as follows:

Monday, 7:00pm: My crew shows up at Caroline's impeccable house for dinner and a lesson about family unity for Family Home Evening

7:30 We give Rylan a taste of lime, which he has a love/hate relationship with. He kept wanting more, but check out that mug.

8:30pm: The kids head to bed (though none of them fall asleep too terribly soon. A case of Christmas Eve syndrome).

11:00pm: We finally convince Caroline that morning will come mighty soon and she'd better head to bed

Tuesday, 5:00am: Brad and Caroline leave while we're all tucked away in bed

6:00am: Rylan wakes up right on time, followed shortly by the rest of the kiddos.

6:01am: Caroline's impeccable house is demolished.

7:30am: The scheduled time for the birth

7:35am: We turn on The Village People, bust out the pot lids, and run around in circles screaming, "WE HAVE A NEW SISTER!!!"

8:24am Katelyn's actual birth time-- the C-section was delayed.

You may wonder why Lizzy is blurred. She was pretty much spinning in circles in her princess dress the whole time. There were no clear pictures of her.

11:45am we finally get a call and come to the hospital to see the precious bundle.
I think for Brian it was love at first sight.

Check out this hunk: this is my hubby, Trevlove (otherwise known as Trevor). I don't think I've introduced him on the blog yet.

Rylan being introduced to his new cousin, being held by Grandma Judy (Caroline's mom). It takes him a minute to realize there's a little person over there...

and then he finally catches on.

Welcome, Katelyn Jane!! We love you!

Finally, Reena, Happy B-day!

For those of you who don't know Ms. Reena Patel, you're totally missing out. Reena and I have been best friends since 8th grade. Actually, because of the special nature of our friendship, we even created a new category: we're not just best friends, we're life friends.

Reena is currently getting her Masters in Social work in India, so for the time being we have to deal with phones and computers to communicate. Her birthday was last month, and Trevor and I had been making videos of Rylan to send to her for her birthday. Now, I recognize that not all readers will enjoy/understand all of the random videos we took, but Reena will, and that's the whole point.

So, Reena, yesterday after I talked to you I promise I tried to get all these on the blog, but I couldn't figure out how to put them all on efficiently, so now they're going on different entries. These are the oldest videos, so I'm posting them first. So sorry they're so late, but here they are!!

Rylan eating solids for the first time. We're giving him some mashed up avocados. Please listen carefully for the gag at the end. This was when he had just turned 5 months old. (Beginning of August)

Rylan playing with his favorite toy :)

Rylan's cute little bod

Amending wrongs

So, apparently I lied. We started regularly trying to feed him solids at 5 months, but apparently the first try was earlier. I guess it helps when you watch the video before you post it.



This video is taking forever and a day to post. Waiting...waiting...waiting...

Okay, enough waiting for one day. More tomorrow.